3:00PM. 

The final bell rings for the day. Students fill the corridors, rushing to get out of their classes. Focused on getting into lockers, having their own conversations, and leaving school. All but one, well, two. Tamara was one of them.

While everyone was talking about the event of the day, Tamara was onto her new... soon-to-be hobby. She can be a little ditsy, though when motivated, she can be very sly. And on this occasion, she was the latter as she listened from just outside the teachers’ room to the only other student who wasn’t in a hurry to leave. They were just inside the door, on the phone attached to the wall.

“Yeah, I need it today,” the slightly high-pitched voice spoke into the receiver. “I’m out of... I need more... I have the dough here at school… Dad…” There was silence. The only thing that Tamara could figure was that they’d said dad because a teacher or someone was close by and they didn't want to seem more suspicious than they already were. “…I got a couple things to do but I’ll be around to Payless Dru… to collect in an hour.” Tamara had heard all she needed.

Bay had already darted out of the classroom before the final bell had finished ringing. She was just a few metres shy of the school’s exit doors when she crashed into an unfamiliar face, well, at least one she wished she didn’t recognise. “Watch where you’re going,” Bay snapped at the face; Brooke.

Brooke pinched the bridge of her nose. “Me? You’re the one who ran into me. You probably just broke my nose.”

“We can only dream.”

“Step off, Bay. Where were you going in such a hurry anyway?”

“None of your business.”

“It is if you’re seeing Matteo?” Brooke phrased it as a question, but she knew she was right. “I don’t want your mother coming round asking for you because you’re out past curfew yet again? Should I save her the hassle and walk next door to tell her your boyfriend totally overdosed at school today?”

“Don’t act jealous, Brooke, just because he’d rather be with me,” Bay snarled, trying to stay strong and hide the fact that she was struggling to hold back the tears.

“Can’t be jealous of you, Bay. Just remember, Matteo and I never had to ingest anything when we were together,” Brooke stated matter of factly and walked off, shoving past Bay on the way.

3:07PM. 

William had just shoved his books into his new locker and was walking toward the exit when he heard, “Hey, Will, man, where are ya headed?”

“Home, dude, unless you have other ideas,” Will replied, seeing Zig pull up next to him.

“Let’s check with Brayden, he might want to do something for Matteo. Something honourable and all.”

“Didn’t he O.D. though? Why would you be that stupi-?”

“He’s still a part of the group,” Zig cut him off. “C’mon, out here.” They exited out of the main entrance and headed left, to a spot in between the school and student carpark. When William and Zig rounded the corner, they saw Brayden leaning back against the building, his foot perched on the wall and smoke escaping his mouth. “What are we doing about Matteo?”, Zig asked him.

“What can we do, Zachary?”, Brayden replied solemnly, and William could tell he was hurting deep down.

“But he-” Zig started but Brayden cut him off.

“No. What have I told you? Not here. That’s to be discussed in private.”

Zig looked down glumly, like a puppy who was told off for bad behaviour. At that same moment, Isobel rounded the corner and Zig looked even more glum, if that were possible. 

“Won’t anyone walk you, Zig-Zag?”, Isobel asked with a smirk. “Get yourself a leash and I’ll walk you… off a cliff.”

“Knock it off, Isobel-Rose,” Brayden told her.

She shrugged and turned her attention to Will. “Hey you, have you thought more about my offer?”

“I have to say, red’s not my colour.” Will smirked and Zig had to contain his laughter.

She sneered at Zig, who zipped his lips instantly, and then she cocked her head at Will. “Either you’ve been hanging out with him too long or you’ve come into our school to be a nark.”

Jack slung his bag over his shoulder and followed Blake out of the music room. “Thanks for helping me put back the equipment.”

“Don’t mention it.”

The pair were walking out of the school entrance and off to the left, heading for the carpark. “Hey, my mom’s working tonight and I have to look after my sister. Don’t worry, she’s not much work. But do you want to come over and study? ”

There was something about the word study that made Blake curious. “Study?” He raised an eyebrow. “Sure, I’m free tonight.”

“Does 7 sound good? I live at the bottom of Main street, opposite the park.”

Before Blake could answer, he heard the words “…to be a nark” and watched as a red-head grabbed Jack’s backpack off his shoulder and started to rifle through it.

“Hey, Isobel, give it back,” Jack shouted at her.

“Why should I? You might have something for me," was her reply, not bothering to even look at him in the process.

“Do you want me to remind you of what I did this morning?”

Blake’s collar was suddenly gripped a pair of hands and brought his face round to meet his attackers, meaning that no saw the angry blush creeping onto her cheeks. Will, who looked even fitter than normal in the worn leather jacket, was holding him tightly and almost spitting into his face, “What did a runt like you do this morning?”

“Who wants to know?",  Jack told Will angrier, staring him down. Although he got William attention, Will still didn't break his grip Jack's collar. "You’re new to this school, aren’t you? Why don’t you mind some-”

“Someone’s got quite a mouth for a dweeb.”

Brayden spoke out over everyone, his voice slightly melancholic, “I think that’ll do for today.” He shifted his back slightly against the wall. Isobel opened her mouth to protest, but his voice became firmer, “Enough.” Isobel threw Jack’s open backpack back at him and Will dropped Jack, pushing him away. They quickly shuffled away from the group, not before Blake had given Will an intense glare.

“Can’t be a nark after that,” Zig stated, nodding to William as if thanking him.

Isobel ignored him and stared at Brayden. “What’s your problem anyway?”

“Not now, guys,” Brayden said. “We need a night in, come round to my place tonight. Zackary, give Will the address, and I’ll check in with Bay.” With that, he turned on his heel and headed to his car.

3:11PM. 

Tamara was now in the corridor, near a cluster of lockers. She’d just jimmied one opened as she’d been taught by a friend at a previous school. Taking the wad of cash she knew was in there, she secured it on her person. Then, just as quickly slammed the locker shut, only to see Keira behind it. Tamara inhaled quickly. “You startled me.”

Keira raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t mean to, you just didn’t look like the person who owned this locker this morning.”

“Oh, um, that’s because it’s actually my first day,” Tamara covered up quickly. “I only just got the combination… But it is my locker, honest.”

Keira looked at her doubtfully. This girl seemed rather jumpy and on edge. “If that’s true, I guess I’ll see you here tomorrow morning,” she said finally.

“Yeah, you sure will,” Tamara lied. Without saying anything else, Tamara headed towards the school’s exit, leaving Keira to speculate what the girl was clearly hiding.

3:28PM. 

The Sugar Shack. The number one local hangout for the youth and open 24/7. A mainly red and white interior. White tables with red chairs and bench seats in the booths. The counter is white and lined with, alternating red and white stools. The walls are painted red with various framed posters on 60s stars, while the floor is black and white checkered lino.

Kiona sat semi-opposite Charlene and Jason in their usual rounded booth in the back corner of the diner. Keira was on the outer edge, next to Kiona.

Jason rested his arms on the back of the seat, and Charlene took the opportunity to shuffle in closer to him. Kiona smirked and asked, “So, are you two giving this a go then?”

Charlene was about to answer smugly but closed her mouth quickly when Jason said, “No, no, nothing like that. We’re friends.” He looked at Charlene. “Right?”

Kiona tried not to smirk at Charlene as he said it, but it was hard. She forced herself to focus on Jason instead. “So who is it that you do like then Jason?”

Before he could even think about answering, a voice interrupted. “So who is going to move over for me to sit down.” It was Chloe. Charlene and Jason shuffled round and Chloe took her seat. Looking across from her, she said to Keira, “So you did end up joining us here.”

“Nothing else to do,” Keira replied. She stared Chloe down, as if to say that this was a challenge to join and she had completed it.

Satisfied with this, Chloe moved on and look at the others. “What were you just talking about?”

“Jason was just about to tell us who he likes,” Kiona recalled.

Everyone faces him. “I was? It’s nothing, not important.”

Chloe replied, “It must be if Kiona has figured it out.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “…I don’t know what’s going to happen now, but I did kiss her today.”

Kiona’s eyes widened in shock. “You did?”

“Who is she?”, Charlene asked, crossing her arms.